On Dec. 8, 1995, the enthronement of the 11th Panchen Lama was held at the Tashilhunpo Monastery, the traditional residence of the Panchen Lamas. Born on Feb. 13, 1990 in north Tibet's Nagqu Prefecture, the Panchen Erdeni Qoigyi Gyaibo was recognized as the incarnation soul boy of the 10th Panchen Lama in Lhasa in November 1995, after strictly executing the religious lot-drawing ritual, and being approved by China's State Council. The following photos show how a boy born in the 1990s has grown into an eminent Tibetan Buddhist leader.

The Panchen Lama at the seminor of the Fourth Session of the 11th CPPCC Central Committee on March 6, 2011

The Panchen Lama gives a blessing touch on an old Tibetan lady on Aug. 6, 2012.

The Panchen Lama pays a visit to a welfare special education school in Lhasa in July 2012.

The Panchen Lama cast his vote at the First Session of the 12th CPPCC Central Committee on March 11, 2013.

The Panchen Lama attended the opening ceremony of the 12th Qomolangma Cultural and Tourism Festival on Aug. 26, 2014.

The Panchen Lama paid homage to President Xi Jinping in Beijing on June 10, 2015.

The Panchen Lama received respect paid by the Mongolian Buddhism Delegation in Beijing on July 15, 2015.

The Panchen Lama met with Tibetan Buddhist personages at the Fourth World Buddhism Symposium in October 2015.

The Panchen Lama was interviewed by the China Tibet Online on Nov.22, 2015.